


Salem Center Academy 10 - Visitors, Part 2

by Metal_Ox137



Series: Salem Center Academy [10]
Category: Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 08:37:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4298037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metal_Ox137/pseuds/Metal_Ox137
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kitty attempts to convince Illyana to return to New York and rejoin the Jean Grey School.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salem Center Academy 10 - Visitors, Part 2

Scene: The Salem Center Academy for Gifted Youngsters - Time: NOW

It is seven-thirty on a Wednesday morning, and Katherine 'Kitty' Pryde is fast asleep in her guest bedroom at the Salem Center Academy, when she is rudely awoken by a loud dull clanging and the voice of Eva Bell ringing down the hallway.

Eva [from behind the door]: Up and at 'em, students! COOO-EEEE! Yoga class in thirty! Everybody roll 'em out! It's Wednesday and it's gonna be a beautiful day!

Kitty: What on earth - ?

She stumbles to the doorway and pokes her head out. Illyana has stepped from her room, pulling her bathrobe closed around her. 

Kitty [to Illyana]: What is going on?!

Illyana: Sorry, Katya, so sorry. I forgot to mention, we have our own personal alarm clock here.

Christopher steps into the hallway, stretching and yawing. 

Christopher: Yeah. Our own cuckoo-burra alarm clock. 

Eva: Oi!

Christopher: Hey, don't blame me. You're the Ozzie turned cuckoo.

Kitty: What time is it?

Eva: Seven-thirty. 

Kitty [rubbing her eyes]: Wow. I can't believe I slept in so late. 

Eva: Would you like to join us for yoga class, Professor Pryde?

Kitty: I'd love to. Just give me a few minutes to find my shoes. . . . And my brain. 

Eva [grinning]: No worries. We usually meet down in the lobby. In fifteen minutes? Then we do a run up the hill. 

Illyana [hastily]: Katya, you're a guest here. You don't have to participate in student exercises if you don't want to. 

Kitty: I don't mind, Illyana. Really. [she stretches] Wow. I was really zonked last night.

Eva [hopefully]: Will Mr. Rasputin be joining us, too?

Kitty [laughing]: If I can wake him. Peter can sleep through a bomb blast going off.

Eva [holding up her pot and ladle]: Oh, I can fix that.

Illyana [hastily]: Eva. No. NO. Don't even think about it. Take that back downstairs, please. We'll be down directly. 

David [coming out of his room, fully dressed in workout clothes]: Morning, Professor Rasputin, Professor Pryde. Ready for a fun filled day at the Salem Center Academy?

Kitty [grinning]: Working up to it. The brain cells are starting to re-connect.

David: What's on the schedule for today, boss?

Illyana: Classroom day, David. No training. 

Eva [calling out]: Hear that, everyone? No bloodletting today!

Illyana [laughing in spite of herself]: Eva, enough. PLEASE go downstairs. 

Eva: Sure, professor. 

Eva scampers down the stairwell. 

Illyana [to Kitty]: You want to flip a coin for the morning class or afternoon class?

Kitty [grinning]: Ask me again after coffee. See you downstairs, roomie. 

Both Kitty and Piotr Rasputin manage to rouse themselves to join Illyana's students in their morning ritual. It a bright spring morning. The air is cold, but the sun is warm, and only a few stray clouds scud across the sky. Kitty finds the entire routine invigorating - stretching exercises in the side yard of the school, the short but demanding run up to the hilltop, followed by forty minutes of yoga. At the end of the session, she finds the fresh air and exercise has done wonders for sharpening her mind - and her appetite. As they head back down the hill, Kitty grabs Illyana and pulls her close for a quick hug.

Kitty: Please tell me it's time for breakfast now.

Illyana: Yup. We get ourselves cleaned up, have a big noisy breakfast, and then the day really begins.

Kitty: And you do this every morning?

Illyana: Every weekday morning. We're trying to get a routine going, where some days are classroom days and some days are training days. I also try to have one-on-one sessions with at least one of the students every afternoon, no matter what else is going on. Working on controlling powers is a big priority.

Kitty: How about the weekends?

Illyana: Saturdays are Salem Center days. We all pile into the van and drive into town. David and I usually run errands, and the other students go to the movies, or hang out at Nina's or in the mall. So far, we haven't had any incidents. [she grins] Sundays are the day of rest. Nobody has to do a thing, if they don't want to. We have a group dinner, but the rest of the day, the students can use their time as they please.

Kitty: That actually sounds pretty great.

Illyana: When it works, of course. I think we've managed to stick to a schedule three times, maybe four, since we got here. 

Kitty: Par for the course, roomie.

Illyana: It should be easier now. There's not quite as much repair work going on. That first month was kind of crazy.

Kitty: And are field trips part of the regimen?

Illyana: If you mean combat, then no. These students are way too inexperienced. I took Eva and Phoebe into a situation like that a few days ago, and that was a huge mistake. I want them to be far more comfortable using their powers before I'd even think about doing that again. 

Kitty: I'm glad to hear that. I always felt that Scott took the students into the field long before they were ready. 

Illyana [tonelessly]: I guess he did.

Kitty: Oh, Illyana, I'm sorry, I didn't mean - 

Illyana: It's all right, Katya. What's done is done. 

Illyana hugs Kitty to reassure her no offense was taken. 

Illyana: Right now, I'd pull these kids out of any fight, if I thought for one second they might not make it home. I'm in full 'run away' mode.

Illyana sighs, clearly disgusted with herself. 

Kitty: You said yourself, these students might be on a different path. Maybe they don't all go off to fight the bad guys in brightly colored costumes. Maybe they help save the world in different ways. There are all kinds of ways to serve and protect, you know. 

Illyana [smiling]: Thank you. 

Kitty: No charge.

Illyana: Are you sure you're not the one who's magic? Because any time we get together, you always make me feel better. About myself. About everything.

Kitty [quietly]: I'm just returning the favor. Because that's what you always do for me, roomie.

The women slowly walk back to the school, arm in arm. David Bond is a few paces behind, and Irma and Phoebe Frost catch up to him, and walk beside him, one on each side.

Irma: Hey, David.

David: Well, hello, cuckoo birds. How are you guys doing this fine morning?

Irma: Doing great, thanks.

Phoebe: We wanted to ask a favor. 

David: Oh, really?

Irma: You're pretty good at drawing, right?

David [grinning]: That depends on who you ask. If it helps, I actually made a living with my art, once upon a time. And enough people liked it, they kept hiring me. 

Phoebe: Have you ever drawn any girls?

David: Sorry, what?

Irma: I think what Phoebe is asking, have you ever done sketches for fashion design.

David: Not as such. I mean, I've done illustrations of people in crowds, wearing all kinds of different things. But I took all that from references. I wasn't coming up with new stuff. Why do you ask?

Irma: Phoebe and I are thinking about a new look.

Phoebe: We're getting tired of our school uniforms.

David: The Catholic schoolgirl look isn't in any more? I thought that was always an 'in' look. Didn't your buddy Doug like it?

Irma [laughing]: He liked it fine. He loved it on Phoebe.

Phoebe: But we wanted to try wearing something a little more - adult. 

David: Like your mom used to wear, you mean. 

Irma [making a face]: Mom liked to run around in her underwear. A lot. 

Phoebe: She could get away with it. We're not as pretty as she was.

David: Phoebe, you guys are like carbon copies of your mom. Of course you're pretty. 

Phoebe: Well . . . we're not quite ready to go around wearing only our underwear in public. 

David: Oh, dear. Young men's hearts everywhere are going to break when they hear that.

Irma: Phoebe and I have some ideas about what we'd like to try, but neither of us can draw. We were hoping maybe you could help us. 

Phoebe: We can actually show you what we have in mind, I mean in our heads, and maybe you could put it on paper. 

David [grinning]: You girls are ready to graduate to superhero costumes?

Irma: Well, we saw the professor with her new outfit yesterday, and we really liked it. Since she decided to make a change, we thought - maybe it's time we can make a change, too. 

David: I'll be happy to help, ladies. When would you like to do this?

Phoebe: Would you have some time after dinner tonight? 

David: Sure. Unless the professor has plans for us to some social activity with our guests. 

Irma: I think the professors want to sit on the patio and drink wine and talk all night. They're hoping we'll just park ourselves in front of a bad movie for the evening. 

David: That's fine by me. We can let Fabio and Christopher watch their kung fu movies, and we can sit in the kitchen for a little while, and see what we can come up with. 

Phoebe: Great!

Irma: Thank you, David. 

David [grinning]: Don't thank me yet. Wait until we see what we've got. Where's your third cuckoo?

Irma: She's walking with Fabio.

Phoebe: They have a thing.

David: What? There's another thing going on?

A few paces behind them, Fabio and Eva are walking side by side. 

Fabio: I don't know if I'm ever going to get used to this. I'm really glad the professor decided to ditch the whole boot camp routine, but I still don't think I've ever exercised so much in my whole life. 

Eva: Oh, don't give up, Fabio. You're starting to look really good, mate. 

Fabio: Seriously?

Eva: Oh yah, you've dropped a few pounds, and you're getting some real muscle tone - you're looking good, trust me. 

Fabio: Does this mean we have a thing?

Eva: What would you say if I told you - I might want it to be more than just a thing?

Bringing up the rear, Christopher is excitedly peppering Piotr with questions about his powers.

Christopher: So, when you change, your armpit hair, is that like, steel wool, or what?

Irma breaks in with a telepathic thought.

Irma: Chris, if you even so much as mention a schlong of steel - 

Christopher [aloud]: Come on, Irma, cut that out!

Irma: Ask polite questions of our guests, please. If you can. 

Piotr: Irma, she is your girlfriend?

Christopher: She is so not my girlfriend!

Piotr: Oh. . . . I was mistaken. 

Breakfast is another exercise in good natured bedlam. After everyone has cleaned up, David and Eva quickly get working on griddle cakes with sides of bacon and sausage, and the cuckoos cut up fruit for fruit cups. Kitty inhales the steam coming off her coffee with almost religious reverence. 

Illyana: So, what do you think? Morning class, or afternoon?

Kitty: I'll do the morning class, if you don't mind. I always keep a spare lecture or two prepped, in case I have to cover for someone. [grinning] I can't wait to hear the next installment of your history class. The first one had me riveted. 

Illyana: Oh man, no way I can pull that feat off twice in a row. 

Kitty: Sure you can. That's not the hard part. 

Illyana: No?

Kitty: One morning, you'll wake up and realize you've delivered thirty lectures in the space of two weeks. And then a year goes by, and you realize you've done hundreds of them. It's quite a head trip. 

Illyana [shuddering]: I can't even think about that. 

Kitty: Just do it like everyone else does, roomie. One lecture at a time. You'll be fine. [she looks around, seeing all the students getting breakfast ready] You have an office, right?

Illyana: Yeah. 

Kitty: Can I have a private word?

Illyana: Sure.

The women collect their coffee mugs and enter Illyana's office. Kitty closes the door behind them.

Illyana: What's up?

Kitty: I didn't want to talk about this in front your students. I just wanted to leave a couple of doors open for you. 

Illyana: How do you mean?

Kitty: Illyana . . . would you ever consider coming back to the Jean Grey school? And bring your students with you?

Illyana: What, and be a teacher? 

Kitty: Yup. Join the faculty, and bring you back into the Xavier fold. And your students could attend classes with the rest of ours. 

Illyana seems utterly bemused. 

Kitty: I know Scott was very much about doing his own thing . . .

Illyana: You're being very diplomatic this morning.

Kitty [grinning]: I suppose so. Anyway, you kind of inherited what he started, and I think maybe you're feeling a little overwhelmed by it all. 

Illyana: Yeah, I am, a bit.

Kitty: If you want to continue here, that's fine. I just wanted you to know, if you ever reach a point where you feel you can't do this by yourself - you don't have to. I would love to have you come home. 

Seeing Illyana's hesitation, Kitty makes another offer. 

Kitty: Let me open another door for you. Maybe you feel this city and this school is a good fit for you. I hope that's true. Maybe your school could be like a branch campus of our school, and as such, we could have our professors come to visit, and deliver lectures and teach classes, so the entire burden of teaching every student isn't on you alone.

Illyana: I was kind of hoping I could coax you into visiting. And maybe staying. 

Kitty: I'd love to come visit you. I'd even love teaching some classes to your students. But I have a school of my own to look after. And . . . I would demand certain conditions in exchange for visiting.

Illyana: Like what? 

Kitty: Number one, you have to promise me you'll go into counseling. You've had a terrible shock, Illyana, and it's hurting you more than you're admitting. 

Illyana sips her coffee, saying nothing. 

Kitty: You're so traumatized you can't even talk to me about what happened. Which means you really should talk to a professional. Someone to whom you can speak in complete confidence. It might even help if that person is a complete stranger to you. That way, you can be totally honest, without having to worry about hurting anyone's feelings, mine or anyone else's.

Illyana: I met a caseworker named Jennifer Adams last Saturday. She seems nice, I like her. 

Kitty: That'll do for a start. I'm not trying to be mean, Illyana. I'm really worried about you.

Illyana: Then I promise, I'll go see her. 

Kitty: Thank you.

Illyana: Is that the only condition? You said, conditions, plural.

Kitty: I did. I'd be happy to come out every other month or so, and teach your students for a couple of days. But I'm going to charge you a fee for that service.

Illyana: What kind of fee?

Kitty: For every day I spend in your classroom, you and I have to spend one day together, just the two of us, and do something fun. One classroom day, one fun day. Doesn't matter where we go, or if we go anywhere at all. As long as you and I have some quality time together. Life is short, Illyana. We've been separated for far too long and I've really missed you. I want to spend a lot more time with you, before it's all gone. 

Illyana's eyes fill with tears, and she wipes them away irritably with the palm of her hand.

Illyana: Sorry. I never used to be like this. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm doing things that are completely out of character, and I just cry at the drop of a hat any more.

Kitty: Of course you do. Illyana, you're displaying all the classic symptoms of clinical depression and post-traumatic stress. That's why you need to talk to someone. 

Illyana swallows hard.

Illyana: I saw her turn into ash right in front of me. 

Kitty: Illyana?

Illyana: Emma. She wasn't further than twenty feet away from me. 

Illyana's eyes lose focus to the middle distance, no longer seeing her office, only what she remembers.

Illyana: She could see that the tank was about to rupture, and - and she was waving frantically at me, screaming to get the students away, and then - this wall of flame just - ate her. Like a living thing. Swallowed her whole in a split second. And there was absolutely nothing I could do. I pulled Irma and Phoebe away from the flames, and I came back for Emma, and I scryed and I spelled, but she was gone. And Scott was gone. And Celeste. And Benjy. There was literally nothing left of any of them. There was nothing left to save. 

Kitty [dismayed] Illyana . . . 

Illyana: I dream about that moment almost every night. I wake up and my heart is pounding and my sheets are soaked and I just feel like I've failed everyone. 

She looks up at Kitty, huge tears rolling down her cheeks. 

Illyana: I know that isn't true. But I can't help how it makes me feel. 

Illyana begins to cry then, in great, heartbroken sobs, her whole body shaking with a grief for which there is no comfort. Kitty comes over to the desk and gathers Illyana into her arms. Distraught, the cuckoos come running to the office door, and David follows them.

David: Irma, Phoebe, no. They're talking in private.

Phoebe: But Professor Rasputin's crying.

David: I know. It's gonna be okay. Leave them be. They'll come out soon. Let's go finish breakfast. 

He gathers the girls and gently steers them away from the door.

David: It's going to be all right, girls. I promise. Come on.

Reluctantly, the cuckoos allow themselves to be led back into the kitchen. The other students look up from their plates. 

Fabio: Everything all right?

David: Everything's fine. Everybody finish your breakfast, please. 

Eva sees that the cuckoos are very upset, and she reaches out to squeeze Phoebe's hand. The meal is finished in uncharacteristic silence. Still, everyone goes about their routine, and once everyone has eaten, the boys start to clean up the kitchen. They look at David.

Christopher: The professors haven't eaten yet. 

David: Leave the leftover griddle cakes and sausage out for now, guys. And leave the coffee pot on. Go ahead and clean up everything else. 

In the office, Illyana's paroxysm of grief has finally abated. She is still curled up in Kitty's arms.

Kitty [softly]: Wow. That's a quite a heavy load you've been carrying there, roomie.

She kisses Illyana on the forehead.

Kitty: I'm glad you were able to tell me. 

Illyana sighs deeply, exhaling the last of her grief, then slowly sits up. 

Illyana: Thanks.

Kitty: Any time.

Illyana blows her nose with a tissue, and wipes the remaining tears away.

Kitty: Doing a little better now?

Illyana manages a weak smile.

Illyana: A little, yeah.

Kitty: You want to go grab some breakfast?

Illyana: I should probably eat something, huh?

Kitty: Yeah. We probably should. It's almost time for class.

Illyana: I promise, we can be late for class. It's the one thing we do really well around here. 

Kitty [laughing]: All right, let's go shovel some food. Then you can park on the couch, and I'll pick your students' brains for a couple of hours. 

Illyana: Sounds great. 

They come out of the office, and Irma and Phoebe immediately scamper over from the living room. 

Irma: Professor, is everything all right?

Illyana gathers both girls into her arms and hugs them tightly.

Illyana: Everything's okay, my sweet cuckoos. 

She kisses each of them on the forehead.

Illyana: Go get ready for class. Professor Pryde and I are gonna grab a quick bite, and then we'll join you in the classroom, okay?

Irma: Okay.

Phoebe: We love you, professor. 

The girls head up the stairs to brush their teeth.

Illyana: They are so brave. They're holding up better than I am. 

Kitty: That's because they have the other students to use as a support group. You, on the other hand - 

Illyana [regaining a little of her self-possession]: Hey! I thought you and Piotr were my support group.

Kitty: We are. And we always will be. 

The women walk into the kitchen, and everyone makes no attempt to hide their relief at seeing them. 

Illyana: Hey, David, I don't suppose there's any breakfast left.

David: Oh, absolutely, boss. We saved a couple of plates for you ladies. 

Kitty: Our heroes.

Illyana hugs her big brother, in part to reassure him, in part to get reassurance from him. David quickly produces two plates left on the warmer filled with griddle cakes and sausage, and a still warm pitcher of maple syrup. The boys set out juice glasses and fruit cups. Illyana and Kitty sit down at the table, and despite her recent upset, Illyana is feeling calmed and even happy. She digs into her breakfast with gusto and Eva, Fabio and Chris finish cleaning up the kitchen, obviously greatly relieved to see that Illyana has recovered.

Kitty [to Illyana]: So I thought I'd trot out the 'Introductions to Ethics' for your students this morning. You know, you being so morally compromised and all. 

Illyana [chuckling]: Sounds great.

Eva excuses herself to get ready for class, but can't resist giving Illyana a peck on the cheek in passing. 

Eva: See you in class, professor. 

Chris and Fabio have finished the other dishes, and look over at Illyana.

Christopher: Ladies, is there anything we can take care of for you? 

Fabio: We've got everything else put away.

Kitty: You guys are amazing. Are you sure I can't hire you? [she grins] Can I just have a warmer for my coffee, please. Otherwise, I'm good.

Fabio [looking to Illyana]: Professor?

Illyana manages to give him a warm smile. 

Illyana: I'm fine, Fabio. Thank you. 

Fabio [grinning with relief]: Okay.

Christopher: We'll see you ladies in class, then. Come on, Goldballs. 

Fabio [to Christopher, as they leave the kitchen]: I told you to stop calling me that.

Christopher: I call 'em like I see 'em.

Kitty grins.

Kitty: You really have a great group of kids here, you know that?

Illyana: I know. I'm so lucky. Everyone in this group likes one another and they get along so well together. It makes my life so much easier. 

Kitty: Even when they're throwing food and insults at each other, you can tell, they just really enjoy each other. It's pretty rare to get a group that closely knit. 

Illyana: That was because of what happened in Dallas. We weren't really a group then. But afterwards, the only way we could continue as a group was to pull together. And these kids really have. We're like a broken bone that's knit back together in one, big bump. 

Kitty [laughing]: Okay, that's gross.

Illyana: But it's true. And - I really do feel a great joy in being around them. 

Kitty: Well, then, let's go spend some quality time with your students, so I can impart some of my rabbinical law from on high. [she grins] Right after I've brushed my teeth, that is. 

Some ten minutes later, Illyana and her students gather in the classroom. The whiteboard and a marker have been set to one side for Kitty's use. Illyana sinks into the couch, and immediately the cuckoos descend on her, one wiggling in from either side, snuggling up against her without the slightest regard for decorum. Eva parks herself on last bit of couch remaining. Fabio and Christopher sprawl themselves on the floor in front of the couch, and David and Piotr pull up upholstered chairs to either side and settle themselves in. Kitty smiles at them all warmly. 

Kitty: Good morning, everyone.

All the students in unison: Good morning, Professor Pryde.

Kitty [a twinkle of merriment in her eye]: Wow. I wish I could get my students to do that. All right, then. As you know, Professor Rasputin has asked if I might deliver a couple of guest lectures to you, while I'm staying here this week. And since this is effectively your first full week of class, I'm going to start at the same place that I start with the students at the Jean Grey school. 

She picks up a marker and writes on the whiteboard: "Ethics". 

Kitty: Okay. Ethics. Is there anyone in the group who can give me a good working definition of ethics?

Eva: The difference between right and wrong?

Kitty: You're on the right track. But I'm looking for something a little more specific. 

Christopher: How about principles?

Irma: Virtues?

Phoebe: What society thinks is good or bad.

Fabio: Morality.

Kitty: Getting warmer. What I'm looking for here is, the branch of philosophy that deals with moral principles. In short, how do we define ethical behavior. First, is such behavior universal? Does every human society have the same set of ethics?

Eva: Well, every culture has a slightly different emphasis on what's good or bad. 

Kitty: Are there more similarities than differences, do you think?

Christopher: Well, if you asked most people if they consider honesty a virtue, they'd probably say yes. But how many people are completely honest?

David: I think if you were to gather a group of people together from different countries, let's say, oh, Russia, China, Australia and America - not that we have any of those people in here - [everyone laughs] - you'd probably get a lot of broad agreement on what morals are supposed to be. Everyone might say that honesty and integrity are ethical behaviors. But every culture probably has a very different idea of how to represent honesty and integrity in the day-to-day world. 

Kitty: Let's run with that for a minute, David. You're actually getting a little ahead of where I wanted to go, but it's okay, because this is something I want to spend some time on. Irma, Phoebe, I'm going to single you out for an example, but I promise, I'm not picking on you. We have in this room two girls who can read other people's minds, but nobody else in the room has that ability. Do you think their ideas of what constitutes ethical behavior might be different, because they have an ability most other people do not have?

Irma: I don't know if this is a good example of ethics, but . . . 

Kitty: It's all right, Irma, go ahead.

Irma: Phoebe and I try to be sensitive to the fact there are things people are not going to want to share. When it's possible, we try to respect that. 

Kitty: Do you find there are lots of times when that's not possible?

Irma: We probably read other people's minds a lot more than we need to, yeah.

Christopher: Wait, does that mean you've been reading all of our minds?

Irma: I'm not setting one foot inside that head of yours, Christopher. Not until you clean it up. It's filthy in there. 

The class laughs. 

Phoebe [protesting]: But reading other people's thoughts was part of our self-defense training. 

Irma: Professor Summers, and our mom, always taught us to scan people - like when we go into a crowd - not brain picking, but just a low level scan for threat assessment. Try to determine if there's anyone who might want to hurt us, and identify them before they can do any harm. 

Kitty: And do you still do that now?

Irma: Yeah. And there are times when we needed that. Phoebe and I have even been in a couple of fights with other telepaths, where we were actually intentionally digging into other people's thoughts - and they were digging into ours. But I wouldn't say we liked it. 

Phoebe: Tell her what happened the other day.

Irma: Oh. Yeah! We were at Nina's - that's the malt shoppe down in Salem Center - and there were these two bullies picking on another kid. I walked over to them and asked them to stop. And by that I mean, I gave 'em a little mental push - [she touches her forehead] just telling them if they couldn't behave, to please leave. After a minute, they did. I suppose if I were less ethical, I could have implanted a suggestion that they go out and drown themselves. While I personally might think the world would be a better place without people like that, I don't think it's my right to impose my will on everyone. 

Phoebe: Our mom would have been seriously been okay with that, though.

Irma: Yeah. Mom was all about, you have the power, use it. And we do. But I don't think we use our powers to that extent. I mean, I stopped two bullies from hurting a kid because I knew I could. I wouldn't have done that if I didn't have the ability to read and influence minds. But I still found a boundary for myself that I wasn't willing to cross. Maybe that's where my ethical line is. 

Kitty: That's excellent, Irma, thank you. You too, Phoebe. I think we can see pretty clearly that while our two mind readers are concerned with being decent people, and they consciously try to follow ethical behavior, their boundaries are different than for those of us who can't read minds. Their abilities have helped to shape their perceptions of right and wrong. Which brings to me to the next point: the higher standard. 

She writes the words "Higher Standard" on the whiteboard. 

Kitty [grinning at Illyana]: Now I'm going to pick on your professor for a little bit. 

Illyana [making a playful face in return]: Yeah, yeah. I saw this coming a mile off. And I don't read minds. 

Kitty: So, we also have here in this room two people who can let themselves into anywhere. And I mean, anywhere. I can walk through any wall. And Professor Rasputin can teleport herself in and out of any place she likes. So what's to stop us from becoming the best bank robbers in the world? There's no vault that's been built that has security for people like us. Or say maybe we want to do corporate espionage. There's no server facility we couldn't break into, if we really wanted to. Hey, Illyana, you want to go rob a casino when we're done here?

Illyana: Sure, sounds great. 

The class laughs. 

Kitty: Here's the point. We could actually do that. There is, in fact, nobody who could stop Illyana and me from doing that, if we got it into our heads to take up a life of crime. Suppose the police found us? What could they do? Shoot us? I can turn transparent, and the bullets would go right through me. The police wouldn't be able to put a pair of handcuffs on me, either. And Illyana can just blink herself out of harm's way in an instant. We could rob a bank in Monte Carlo, and five minutes later we could be buying drinks with that money at a beachside bar in Greece or Spain - hundreds of miles away. And nobody could do a thing to stop us. 

Illyana: Stop tempting me!

The class laughs again. 

Kitty: So, why don't we do that? Bad guys live well, don't they? They have money and mansions and go where they please and do what they like. So why don't we do that?

Christopher: Because you're stupid?

More laughter from the group.

Kitty [to Illyana]: You're right about this one.

Illyana [shaking her head]: You have no idea. 

Kitty: Why do you think that's stupid, Christopher? Seriously.

Christopher: I was just making a joke, professor. 

Kitty: Do any of the rest of you think that's stupid? Your professor and I could have all the money on the planet by the end of the night without breaking a sweat. So why don't we?

Eva: Because there's always a cost to your actions. 

Kitty: Excellent, Eva.

Illyana: She's the smart one. 

Christopher: What, you mean, like karma? That's like believing in fate, isn't it?

Kitty: Whether or not you believe in karma or fate or anything else, can we agree, all our actions have consequences? Does that sound reasonable?

David: So you're suggesting that unethical behavior carries a higher cost than ethical behavior?

Kitty: What would be the real cost of Illyana and I going around robbing banks for a living? What would be some examples of negative effects of that lifestyle?

Christopher [snorting]: What negative effects?

Fabio: How about, your faces and names on every most wanted list, so, no matter where you go, you're being harassed by the authorities, even if they can't actually catch you? You'd never have a moment's peace.

Phoebe: Maybe they put your siblings or parents in jail instead?

Christopher: You rob the wrong casino, and the pit bosses put out a mob hit on you. You can't dodge bullets when you're asleep. 

Kitty [laughing]: Okay, now we're getting somewhere. Irma and Phoebe were alluding to this earlier. And I promise you, girls, while your mom might have started from 'power justifies all' when she was younger, she didn't end up thinking that way. How many of you have heard the phrase, 'Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law'?

Christopher: Everybody's heard that. 

Eva: It's a pretty feeble philosophy. 

David: That basically sums up my freshman year in college.

The class laughs.

Kitty [chuckling]: Yeah, I had my share of youthful infractions too. Illyana can dish all kinds of dirt in that regard. 

David: We were slow learners. 

Kitty: I think your professor has mentioned this, in some of her lectures with you: if you take something from the world, give something greater back. That's an example of the higher standard. It means seeing yourself as someone who really does have the ability to change the world - and tasking yourself with the goal of leaving the world a better place than you found it. Robbing a bank and then laying on a beach in Greece might be fun, but it's not making the world a better place. 

Kitty pauses for a moment, looking at each of the students.

Kitty: Every one of you in this room possesses a remarkable gift. An ability that no one else has, a power to be harnessed that no one else can use. You guys can, literally, change the world. And you will. What will determine your ethical behavior is an awareness of self, an awareness of others, recognizing that our obligations to one another are not burdens, but opportunities. Above all, that you were given this extraordinary gift for a reason. Because you are strong enough and good enough and worthy enough to find a way to share that gift with other people. To show courage and compassion when others can't. To give help when others won't. You don't have to put on a brightly colored costume to be remarkable - you already are. The higher standard I want you to consider is, let your actions be the best of actions, let the consequences be the best of consequences. Because you can. 

Later that evening, Illyana, Kitty and Piotr are once again sitting on the back porch by the pool, huddling near the warmth of the fire on a cold spring evening. 

Illyana [to Kitty]: Thank for you today. You were amazing, as always. [smiling] You must be a superhero.

Kitty: Oh, God. Don't start. 

Illyana: I mean it. Not just for teaching the class. For reaching out to me this morning. It means a lot.

Kitty: I would do anything for you, Illyana. I mean that. 

Illyana: I think, at least for right now, we're going to try to make a go of things here.

Kitty: I figured as much.

Illyana: But I'm going to make good on your conditions, because I do want you to come back often. 

Kitty: I'm very glad to hear that. 

Illyana: I know you and Scott weren't on very good terms the last couple of years. He wasn't a bad man, Katya. Maybe he lost his way. Maybe we all did. But he really did care about these kids, and he wanted to protect them. 

Kitty: I know. Peter worked side-by-side with him for years. 

Piotr [filling his pipe]: Scott was a good man. I shall miss him.

Kitty [groaning in dismay]: You're not going to light that thing NOW?

Pitor [grinning]: I will wait, until you ladies are ready to go back inside. [to Illyana] Katya does not like it when I smoke. 

Illyana: I'm kind of surprised that's a habit you picked up, Piotr.

Piotr: It relaxes me. Helps me sleep. [he sets the pipe aside on a nearby table] Your students would like to borrow me tomorrow for practice.

Illyana [raising an eyebrow in bemusement]: Are you sure that's something you want to do?

Piotr laughs. 

Piotr: I do not mind. If it makes the students excited to practice, I can be a punching bag for a few hours. Besides, I thought it might give you and Katya some time alone to talk. 

Kitty: Peter, that's sweet.

Piotr: I have listened to both of you for two days. You are good for each other. You make each other so happy. I like to see that. [to Illyana] And like Katya, I love to hear you laugh, little snowflake. 

Illyana: It does feel better than crying. That's for sure. 

Piotr [nodding solemnly]: Then I will teach class tomorrow. With your permission. Professor. 

Piotr gives his sister a wide, warm smile. Illyana gives him a wicked grin in return.

Illyana: My permission, you have. Just don't say I didn't warn you.


End file.
